Content
- How to tell if the snake is poisonous
- Types of non-venomous snakes
- Snakes of the Colubridae family: colubrids
- snakes of america
- Snakes of the Boidae family: pythons
- Snakes of the Lamprophiidae family
Snakes are reptiles belonging to the order squamata. Their lower jaw is just held together by muscle and skin. This, along with their skull's mobility, allows them to swallow large prey. Maybe that's one of the reasons some people are so afraid of them.
Another frightening characteristic of snakes is their venom. However, most are not poisonous and only attack if they feel threatened by our presence. Even so, it is never too much to know whether a snake is poisonous or not. In this article by PeritoAnimal we talk about the types of non-venomous snakes and teach how to identify them.
How to tell if the snake is poisonous
There are many types of snakes, some with venom and some without venom. Non-venomous snakes swallow their prey alive, so they specialize in hunting small animals such as rats or insects. Other snakes can attack larger prey. To do this, they inoculate them with a poison that immobilizes or kills them. If they feel attacked, they can also use this poison to defend themselves from humans. However, chow to know if a snake is poisonous?
The reality is that there is no method for knowing if the snake is poisonous, although there are certain characteristics that can give us a clue:
- habits: Venomous snakes are generally nocturnal, while non-venomous snakes tend to be diurnal.
- fangs: Venomous snakes have hollow or grooved fangs in the anterior part of the jaw, whose function is to inject the venom. Non-venomous snakes, however, usually have no fangs and, if they appear, are later.
- head shape: Venom snakes often have a triangular head shape, due to the greater mobility of their skull. Venom-free snakes, on the other hand, tend to have a more rounded head.
- Pupils: Non-venomous snakes have rounded pupils. This part of the eye, however, is normally elliptical in snakes with venom.
- Thermoreceptor pits and neck: Vipers, a very common family of venomous snakes, have a pit between their eyes and nose that allows them to detect the heat of their prey. Also, their necks are narrower than the rest of their bodies.
In many cases, these rules don't apply. Therefore, we must never analyze these characteristics alone. The best way to know if a snake is poisonous or not is to know the different species in detail.
Discover the most venomous snakes in Brazil in this other article.
Types of non-venomous snakes
There are more than 3,000 known species of snakes around the world. Only 15% are poisonous, so as you can imagine there are many types of non-poisonous snakes. That's why, in this article, we're going to focus on the most relevant species. So, let's highlight the following types:
- colubrids
- Boas
- rat snake
Many people are looking for non-venomous snakes to have at home, however, it is important to note that these animals require a lot of care and a fully qualified space. Therefore, it is not recommended to live with a snake, even if it is not poisonous, without having the necessary knowledge to do so. Above all, we must keep in mind the welfare of the animal and the people who live in the house.
Snakes of the Colubridae family: colubrids
Colloquially, all non-venomous snakes are called colubrids. However, in biology, it is the name given to snakes in the family colubridae.
Colubrids are characterized by the disposition of their scales, their circular pupils and a relatively small size. They often have shades of olive or brown that help them to camouflage. Most are diurnal, non-poisonous and have no fangs. of course there is many exceptions to all these characteristics.
snakes of america
In South and Central America, the genus chironius (snake vine) is very abundant. The best known is the Chironius monticola, distributed throughout the Andes Mountains, and is one of the species of non-venomous snakes. It is a very aggressive arboreal snake, although harmless.
snakes of the genus apostolepis they are also typical of South America. They stand out for the intense red coloring of the body, which contrasts with the black and white bands on the head. The tip of its tail is also black, giving it an unusual appearance among non-venomous snakes.
Another red snake is the known fake coral (Erythrolamprus aesculapii). Its red body is covered with black and white stripes along its entire length. This coloration is very similar to that of coral snakes, which are venomous and belong to the family elapidae.
Snakes of the Boidae family: pythons
The pythons are a group of species belonging to the family boidae. Contrary to what many people think, they are not poisonous snakes. The poison is not necessary for them, as they kill their prey by strangulation. Their great size and strength allow them to compress their victims to death from suffocation.
The ability to kill their prey by strangulation allows prey to feed on very large animals. Many even specialize in hunting large mammals such as deer or leopards.
The most prominent species within this family is the good constrictor, a snake present in almost all of the American continent and that is part of the list of the biggest snakes in the world. It can measure up to four meters and its color is brown, green, red or yellow, depending on the habitat in which they are camouflaged.
Snakes of the Lamprophiidae family
The family Lamprophiidae comprises a large number of non-venomous snake species, many of which belong to the African continent or are endemic to Madagascar. However, there is one species with a large presence in Europe. And the rat snake (Malpolon monspessulanus).
Although this snake kills its prey thanks to the action of a poison, it is not dangerous to humans and therefore is not considered to be poisonous. However, this snake can become very large and, when it feels threatened, it is quite aggressive. If disturbed, it will rise like a rattlesnake and whistle. Therefore, it is a species that is very persecuted by humans.
However, one of the rat snake's favorite prey is the wild rat (Microtus arvalis). These small mammals often become a pest that causes significant damage to crops. To prevent this from happening, it is essential to respect the presence of snakes.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of non-venomous snakes, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.